New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915 eBook

THE BELLS OF BERLIN

[From Punch of London.]

(Which are said to
be rung by order occasionally to announce
some supposed German
victory.)

The Bells of Berlin, how they
hearten the Hun(Oh, dingle
dong dangle ding dongle ding dee;)
No matter what devil’s
own work has been done
They chime a loud chant of
approval, each one,
Till the people feel sure
of their place in the sun(Oh, dangle
ding dongle dong dingle ding dee.)

If Hindenburg hustles an enemy
squad(Oh, dingle
dong dangle ding dongle ding dee,)
The bells all announce that
the alien sod
Is damp with the death of
some thousand men odd,
Till the populace smiles with
a gratified nod(Oh, dangle
ding dongle dong dingle ding dee.)

If Tirpitz behaves like a
brute on the brine(Oh, dingle
dong dangle ding dongle ding dee,)
The bells with a clash and
a clamor combine
To hint that the Hated One’s
on the decline,
And the city gulps down the
good tidings like wine,(Oh, dangle
ding dongle dong dingle ding dee.)

The Bells of Berlin, are they
cracked through and through(Oh, dingle
dong dangle ding dongle ding dee,)
Or deaf to the discord like
Germany, too?
For whether their changes
be many or few,
The worst of them is that
they never ring true,(Oh, dangle
ding dongle dong dingle ding dee.)

Warfare and British Labor

By Earl Kitchener, England’s Secretary of State
for War

In his speech delivered in the House
of Lords on March 15, 1915, Earl Kitchener calls
upon the whole nation to work, not only in supplying
the manhood of the country to serve in the ranks,
but in supplying the necessary arms, ammunition, and
equipment for successful operations in various
parts of the world.

For many weeks only trench fighting has been possible
owing to the climatic conditions and waterlogged state
of the ground. During this period of apparent
inaction, it must not be forgotten that our troops
have had to exercise the utmost individual vigilance
and resource, and, owing to the proximity of the enemy’s
lines, a great strain has been imposed upon them.
Prolonged warfare of this sort might be expected to
affect the morale of an army, but the traditional qualities
of patience, good temper, and determination have maintained
our men, though highly tried, in a condition ready
to act with all the initiative and courage required
when the moment for an advance arrived. The recently
published accounts of the fighting in France have
enabled us to appreciate how successfully our troops
have taken the offensive. The German troops,
notwithstanding their carefully prepared and strongly
intrenched positions, have been driven back for a
considerable distance and the villages of Neuve Chapelle
and L’Epinette have been captured and held by
our army, with heavy losses to the enemy.